Széchenyi István was born in
one of the
richest noble families in 1791. He was the initiator
of the reform movements, which started in the
1820's as well as an excellent
writer and politician and the founder of
the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
He was also Minister of Transportation
in the first
independent Hungarian government (1848) and the creator of
the first permanent bridge between Pest and Buda over the river
Danube, called the Chain Bridge.
The University has had the name of Széchenyi István since 1986.